NashvilleGab - Country music news and Nashville gossip

You know what? Carrie Underwood did not in fact perform in a bikini this weekend

I've seen picture after picture after picture of a bikini-clad Carrie chilaxin' in the Bahamas after having performed there this weekend.  Well bikini-clad pictures were all I was seeing all over the place and so I was kind of starting to think that maybe Carrie had actually performed her gig on Saturday wearing a an itty bitty bikini. 

Well never fear, Carrie performed fully clothed. 

Whew. 

More beautiful pics here.

{Photos © Copyright Ben Jamieson Photography}

Another Taylor Swift inspired song just in time for Christmas

There's been a lot of songs lately that have been inspired by Taylor Swift, but this one's a bit different mainly because it's a holiday tune.  And I love the song's name....Merry Swiftmas (Even Though I Celebrate Chanukah).  This one's also a bit different because it's written and performed by someone who's already known in his own right since was once in Avril Lavigne's band and has co-wrote a few of her songs.  Oh, his name's Evan Taubefeld just in case you're wondering.  

 

The Sara Evans picture Nazis strike again, luckily one reader snuck me a few pictures

Okay, word to the wise - if you go and see Sara Evans for her Holiday Tour best leave your camera at home because apparently the picture Nazis aren't exclusive to the Qwest Arena in Boise, they're present EVERYWHERE.  The excuse they use is they don't want anyone using cameras with zoom lenses, but it seems nothing is safe so it may be better to just leave the cameras at home and save yourself the headache.  I do have one theory though.  When Sara changed into her black holiday dress for the second half of her concert in Boise she had a little bit of a belly.  Now Sara's very skinny and so I'm not saying she had a big stomach or anything like that, but there was a belly when she turned just right.  Now I'm sure it was just the sheen of the dress, but maybe, just maybe they're not wanting any close up baby-belly shots. 

Yeah, I made that last part up, but as a country music gossip blogger I can always hope. 

Thankfully I do have readers who take care of me and have fulfilled my desire to have pictures of Sara on my site, if for no other reason than to stick it to the picture Nazis.  Thanks to one reader I have some great pictures from Sara's December 3rd show at Pechanga Indian Casino in Temecula, California.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 
 
 
 

Wise words from Miss Kellie Pickler

I love reading the deep thoughts from people, especially when they're wise words from an unlikely source such as Kellie Pickler.  Here are some words of wisdom from the newly flame-haired Kellie.  {source}

"If you put your heart and soul into something, you can do anything. God will provide you with everything you need if you work hard for it," she said.

"It's not about the sprint, it's about the long run," she said, adding she wants her career to build slowly and burn long, like heroes such as Strait.

"Patience is a virtue," she said. "Some people want everything right now. But when they get it, then it's over."

 

 

Member of Carter family dies in house fire

Such sad news. 

From CitizenTimes.com...

Tragedy has struck a member of the famed Carter Family clan, with a weekend house fire that destroyed the home and killed the husband of Rita Forrester, director of the beloved Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Va. The Carter Family Fold is about 97 miles from Asheville.

Rita Forrester is the daughter of the late Janette Carter, who started the Fold, which features regular Saturday night old-time mountain music shows. And her grandparents were A.P. and Sara Carter, two-thirds of the original Carter Family, who became famous for such songs as “Keep on the Sunny Side” and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”

The fire happened early Sunday morning at the Forrester home, which was located within site of the Carter Fold, a music venue that honors the memory of the Carter Family, one of country music’s pioneering recording acts.

While Rita Forrester escaped the blaze, her husband Bob Forrester, 61, died. Most of the family’s possessions were also destroyed. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

Guess the gams...tattoo edition

 

Well, well, well, guess which lovely country lass has two tattoos that she's been showing off this weekend. 

Can you guess who the tattooed freak is?  Ha ha, I kid, I kid.  I like tasteful tattoos and even have a tatt of my own on my ankle, although I'm not sure how tasteful it is since I've never licked it to see.  My guess is it tastes like chicken.

Anyway, tattoo answer after the jump.

Uh oh, Canadian record labels possibly owe billions to artists

 
$60 billion bucks. Now there's a number to make you stop and take notice.  Well that could be the number that a group of Canadian record labels will have to pay up to musicians for copyright infringement.  And we're not talking little itty bitty obscure labels, we're talking Warner Music Canada, Sony BMG Music Canada, EMI Music Canada, and Universal Music Canada.

So what did these monster-size companies do exactly?  The companies are currently involved in a massive class-action lawsuit on behalf of musicians who say that the companies used their music without permission in "use now, pay later" deals.  Problem is the companies often failed to pay later.  Most of the infringement comes from the companies using music to create compilation CDs (ie. the top dance tracks of 2009) or live recordings. The record labels create, press, distribute and sell the CDs, but do not obtain the necessary copyright licenses. The class action lawsuit is now the largest copyright infringement case in Canadian history. 

And the companies say they owe the artists money, but now what's in dispute is just how much.  The companies admit to owing $50 million but those involved say the number could actually turn out to be in the billions, with the amount being stated now as $20,000 per infringement (and a growing list of over 300,000 songs involved).   

So far I haven't seen any country artists on the list, but that doesn't mean there aren't any and with big names like Beyonce and Bruce Springsteen waiting to see their share of the money, it makes me wonder who else is involved. 

Let's just hope that America's record labels have been paying their bills.

 

Carrie Underwood - Play On review

CD reviewer Kalyn gives us her take on Carrie Underwood's "Play On."   

 
Play On by Carrie Underwood

Play On is Carrie Underwood’s third record and it certainly doesn’t disappoint.  The first single off of the record is Cowboy Casanova, a sultry up-tempo song that warns other females just how manipulative this cowboy casanova can be.  The song has a Shania Twain sound and feel to it, as it’s a little out of the ordinarily or comfort zone of Carrie.  To be honest with you, I’m a huge Carrie fan but this song does take time to get used to.  Carrie gets back to her true self on the song Mama’s Song, which is a song informing her mother that the boy she is dating is good for her and treats her well and she doesn’t have to worry about her.  Carrie doesn’t shy away from her sassy songs, as Undo It and Songs Like This.  On the record, we see Vince Gill singing background vocals in the song Look At Me, which talks about falling in love a little more every time he looks at her.  My favorite song on the album would have to be What Can I Say, which features Sons of Sylvia (formerly The Clark Brothers).  If you don’t follow Carrie closely, you wouldn’t know that the lead singer of Sons of Sylvia is Ashley Clark, who started off as a band member for Carrie.  The song is beautifully done and the blend of Carrie and Ashley’s voices is pitch perfect.  Plus who doesn’t like a great story; it was nice to see Carrie inviting a friend and former brand member to share a song with her.   Temporary Home is a powerful song, in which it expresses that our life here on earth is just temporary.  This song is vocally the best on the record and Carrie seems to connect the best on this song.  Its song straight from the heart and with passion and meaning, she sings the heck out of it.  The title track may not be a song that sticks out, but being the lyric person that I am, the  lyrics to this song are ones in which listeners can connect with and take and use them in their own life.  In all, the cd is very solid and very good from start to finish.  Carrie has stated several times, that there really is a little of something for everyone to like on this album.  After seeing Carrie grows from her American Idol days to where she is now, on her third record, this record is by far the most solid, lyrically and vocally best record to date.  Sure there aren’t the glory notes, but one of the criticisms that have followed Carrie around is her lack to connect emotionally to a song and the lack of expressing that to her listeners; however with this record she’s defiantly taken all the steps needed and has successfully accomplish those tasks.  This record is by far one of the best of the year and will continue to solidify Carrie in country music.  I think everyone should pick up this album.      

Brandi's Blurbs: Autumn - Velvet Sky

Autumn's sophomore album, "Velvet Sky" is a nice blend of country/folk and adult contemporary music. I think when an artist like this comes along it is difficult to put them into one category of music genre. Autumn's soulful music and honest songwriting takes you on a musical journey like no other. She covers Patty Griffin's "Nobody's Cryin" and yet makes it her own. and tells a beautiful love story in "Trees". I hope Autumn will be recognized for her raw talent, I wish her the best. She is the best thing to come out of Austin, TX in quiet some time. I'd recommend the CD to anyone who is a fan of Americana music. You will not be disappointed.

Be sure to check out Autumn's website to find out more and also to hear clips from all the music.